OREANDA-NEWS.  The tendency to decrease of consumer confidence of Ukrainians continued in the beginning of spring 2013. The Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) is 81.3 in March, which is 2.4 p. lower than in February. The main factor behind the decrease of the CCI was the considerable drop in the Index of Propensity to Consume. It is proved by the data of the consumer confidence survey in Ukraine, which is conducted by GfK Ukraine on a monthly basis.

In March 2013, the Consumer Confidence Index (CCI) decreased by 2.4 p. to 81.3.

Index of Current Situation is 78, which is 4.4 p. lower than in February 2013.

The components of this index changed in the following way:
Index of Current Personal Financial Standing (х1) remained almost unchanged and reached 80.2, which is 0.1 p. higher than in February;
Index of Propensity to Consume (х5) lost 9 p. at once and reached 75.7.

Economic Expectations of the Population decreased by 1 p. and reached 83.5. The components of this index changed in the following way:
Index of Expected Changed in Personal Financial Standing (х2) lost 2.6 p. to 94.4;
Index of Expected Economic Conditions in the Country over the Next Year (х3) is 75.8, it is 1.2 p. higher than in February;
Index of Expected Economic Conditions in the Country over the Next Five Years (х4) decreased by 1.5 p. to 80.4.

In March, the tendency to decrease in the expectations of the Ukrainians regarding the unemployment dynamics persisted: the respective index is 137.6; it is 1.4 p. higher than in February. At the same time the Inflationary Expectations deteriorated: the respective index is 182.1; it is 2.1 p. higher than in February. However, the Ukrainians are becoming more optimistic regarding the exchange rate of hryvnia over the next three months: Index of Devaluation Expectations lost 8.4 p. to 126.7.

The following key trends were observed in March:
The Consumer Confidence Index has continued the tendency of the last months to decreasing and reached the level of July 2012.
The main factor behind the deterioration of the CCI was the drop in the Index of Propensity to Consume, which dropped to the level of March 2012. This took place against the context of decreasing in the Expected Changes in Personal Financial Standing and unemployment dynamics. The considerable decrease of the Devaluation Expectations also limited the demand for expensive imported goods.
The most pessimistic are the people under 45 with upper-middle income, who reside in big cities, together with the people from the Western Ukraine.